Dining with 4 teenagers

[teachingmykids]

2 girls and 2 boys! I'm thinking of the DDP so they have freedom to eat when/where they want. We'll probably do character meals as a family (yes, they still love them), but DH & I can go our separate ways.
The DDP will cost us $1600 for 6 days.
Is that reasonable? I don't want to spend money just for convienence. The boys will EAT and the girls will snack.
Do you think we could do better, money wise, with or without DDP?
Thanks,
~~g.

 

[ksbean]

A lot is how you'd expect them to eat and where you plan on eating as a family. With having to pay the tip out of pocket that changes things a bit. Consulting the menus from the Dining tab above or on allearset.com is a good way to estimate. Karen

 

[leahjade]

I'm going to get the DDP for my 3 teens - that way they can get what they want to eat and I don't have to tell them to get something cheaper - plus they love the desserts!

 

[Dogslider]

Unless you are going to do a TS together each day I would probably pay OOP and let the kids charge back to the room. I know if my teenager was out on his own he would just snack or do CS. Now if you are meeting up each night for dinner, DDP might be the way to go.

 

[Rylee]

2 girls and 2 boys! I'm thinking of the DDP so they have freedom to eat when/where they want. We'll probably do character meals as a family (yes, they still love them), but DH & I can go our separate ways.
The DDP will cost us $1600 for 6 days.
Is that reasonable? I don't want to spend money just for convienence. The boys will EAT and the girls will snack.
Do you think we could do better, money wise, with or without DDP?
Thanks,
~~g.

The Dining Plan is convenient but only a value if you plan on using your Table Service credits at TS restaurants.

If you plan to schedule a character meal or other TS restaurant each day, it is probably worth it.

Since you have to pay the adult DP price for each person in your party, you may want to view menus and prices and see if you can do better out-of-pocket, especially if the girls are light eaters.

We like the DP, although, previously, we didn't have to pay out tips. We always have 1 TS per day, and for the little time we do split up, I like knowing my older kids could grab a snack or burger without worrying if they had enough money.

If you choose to use the DP, or even if you don't, but want to eat at a few TS restaurants, make sure you make Advance Dining Reservations.

 

[eliza61]

I was the opposite. The DDP was not convienent with my teenagers. You have to be at your adr's or you waste your TS points and if my kids were having a good time touring many times they did not want to stop.

Also my teens change their minds so a couple of days when we were suppose to be at park XYZ, we ended up at park ABC. Once again we wouldn't make those adrs.

for my family it was the worst for flexibility.

 

[septbaby]

You're going in June and there will surcharges at lots of places. Get the DP, not necessarily the Deluxe. That way you aren't paying and extra $20-30 each day at those meals. Be sure to book some buffets so everyone can have choices and your teens can graze. Even if you pay OOP for additional food (a late burger or pizza type fix) it won't break the bank and won't cost as much as the Deluxe.

Just saw you said 6days so that means 5 nihgts of the plan.
It appears that you'll be there 5 nights, party of 6 then the costs are:

Basic Plan: $1140

Deluxe Plan: $2100
- Extra: Refillable mugs $12.49pp if you paid OOP for these ($75 Value)
- Extra: A non issue if your TS meal is a buffet
- Extra: TS meal, you're paying $32 more for this and that meal will likely cost you $25-35 anyway so not a huge extra charge
- Extra: Snack credit, Valued at $3 ($3 x 5 nights x 6 guests = $90)

So if you bought the Basic DPlan, Refillable mugs and paid for extra snacks your cost would be $1305, $800 less. Do you really think you'll need $800 more to eat?.

So book one group TS meal a day then let them spend their own Snack and CS credits as they see fit. Some of the CS meals are large so they'll either get their fill or figure out how to share and get 2 meals for one credit.

One tip that really helped us: you get two beverages with a CS breakfast. So let's say you pay OOP for the refillable mugs. They get the beverage they actually want to drink in their mug then grab a couple of bottled drinks to take to the park ie. saving snack credits. We usually grabbed a water and drank the other with our meal (we didn't get mugs).

As for Buffets I'd highly recommend Boma for your group. The buffet and resort should rank high on the Cool and Wow meters! We really enjoyed our late breakfast (11:10 or so) at Chef Mickey's. So in theory you could do an 8am EHM for 2-3 hrs then eat your midday meal there and save your CS for a dinner at the resort or in the park. A non buffet your teens may enjoy is Coral Reef. I honestly didn't think the appetizers were great (mind you we had eaten at Narcoossee's the night before, so my pallette was spoiled) but loved our entree and my kids sundae.

Congrats to your senior and have a Magical time!

 

[teachingmykids]

Thanks for the advice. We've never been in the summer before, I didn't realize there were seasonal rates on food too!
I would love to have one TS meal together each day, but that may be wishful thinking. This is the first year I'm letting them wander on their own, so I'm not sure how that's really going to work.
Guess I'll do more math.
~~g.

 

[Rylee]

You're going in June and there will surcharges at lots of places. Get the DP, not necessarily the Deluxe. That way you aren't paying and extra $20-30 each day at those meals.

?

 

[septbaby]

?

You're going in June and there will surcharges at lots of places. Get the DP, not necessarily the Deluxe. That way you aren't paying and extra $20-30 each day at those meals.

Late night post, sorry for those typos..many of the character buffets will have a $4 surcharge in June when this family visits. If they are on the DP they only pay normal $37.99/night rate per adult and can still enjoy those meals if they want. For example if Chef Mickey's usually costs $22.99 for Breakfast it will cost $26.99 in June. That would be an extra $24 if this family paid OOP for these meals.

Sorry to

 

[Rylee]

Late night post, sorry for those typos..many of the character buffets will have a $4 surcharge in June when this family visits. If they are on the DP they only pay normal $37.99/night rate per adult and can still enjoy those meals if they want. For example if Chef Mickey's usually costs $22.99 for Breakfast it will cost $26.99 in June. That would be an extra $24 if this family paid OOP for these meals.

Sorry to

Thanks. I thought price increases only happened around holidays. Live and learn.

 

[Matt71]

2 girls and 2 boys! I'm thinking of the DDP so they have freedom to eat when/where they want. We'll probably do character meals as a family (yes, they still love them), but DH & I can go our separate ways.
The DDP will cost us $1600 for 6 days.
Is that reasonable? I don't want to spend money just for convienence. The boys will EAT and the girls will snack.
Do you think we could do better, money wise, with or without DDP?
Thanks,
~~g.

I would advise against the DDP. I had to do a lot of number crunching to actually save money using the plan. If the kids were only doing counter service meals by themselves you might be ok, but you have to be selective with your TS meals if you want to come out ahead. Without ADRS, your kids may end up using your TS meals on CS and you will surely lose money. I would let them do their lunches on their own, but doo all of your dinners as a family at a predetermined location.